ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ORIGANUM COMPACTUM BENTH FROM TAOUNATE PROVINCE, NORTH MOROCCO

Objective: Origanum compactum is one of the most important medicinal species in terms of ethnobotany in Morocco. It attracts the attention of several research works; however, its chemical composition under local conditions is not well documented. Here, we aimed at determining essential oil chemical composition, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities of organic extracts of O. compactum. Methods: Antimicrobial activities were assessed against four strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans). Antioxidant activities were estimated by radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity. Polyphenols and flavonoids were determined. Chemical composition was screened using gas chromatography. Results: Our results showed that yield extracts varied significantly among solvents and ranged from 10.30% (n-hexane) to 31.70% (methanolic). Methanolic extracts had the highest values of yield, polyphenols, and flavonoids, while n-hexane extracts showed the lowest values of yield and polyphenols. Regarding antimicrobial activities, E. coli showed the most important activity. Concerning antioxidant activities, n-hexane extracts had the most important activity. The phytochemical screening revealed 12 compounds. Among them, γ-Terpinene, o-Cymene, and carvacrol were the major compounds (around 73% of total chemical compounds). Conclusion: It could be concluded that the studied plant might be a promising source of chemical compounds responsible for important biological activities

Characterization of mono- and bi-metallic platinum catalysts using CO FTIR spectroscopy Size effects and topological segregation

International audienceCO chemisorption on Pt catalysts supported on non-acidic alumina prepared from platinum acetylacetonate has been studied by FTIR spectroscopy. The stretching frequency for isolated CO species is observed at 2032 cm-1 for highly dispersed Pt samples (dispersion 0.99) and at 2067 cm-1 for poorly dispersed samples (dispersion 0.09). This frequency shift is in agreement with single-crystal and on supported Pt catalyst data, and may be ascribed to the change of coordination at the Pt chemisorption site. Large shifts, reaching 180 cm-1 can be observed upon coadsorption of ammonia suggesting the possibility of long-range interactions involving the collective electronic properties. CO adsorption has also been studied on well dispersed bimetallic samples obtained by modifying the well dispersed Pt/Al2O3 catalyst with Sn or Ge. Quite different effects of the two additives were observed: whereas Ge decreased the dipole–dipole coupling in the adsorbed layer, Sn did not. This suggests that Sn segregates at sites of low coordination at the surface of the Pt particles, while Ge is more homogeneously distributed. The coadsorption of ammonia and CO on the bimetallic particles also shows that the electronic properties of Pt were dramatically modified by Ge and unaffected by Sn

Phytochemical Screening, Polyphenols Content, Antioxidant Power, and Antibacterial Activity of Herniaria hirsuta from Morocco

The aim of this study is to investigate in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts for aerial parts of Herniaria hirsuta. Extracts were screened for their possible antioxidant activities by three tests: DPPH free radical-scavenging, reducing power, and molybdenum systems. The screening of antibacterial activity of extracts was individually evaluated against sixteen bacteria species using a disc diffusion method. Flavonoids, total phenols, and tannins content were performed for both extracts. It shows higher content in the hydroethanolic extract. The hydroethanolic extract showed a significant antioxidant activity for the three methods studies to the aqueous extract, but nonsignificant results compared to the reference (BHT). However, both extracts have negative effect on the strains studies for the antibacterial activity

The relationship between the stone's composition and the biochemical parameters of blood and urine in patients with urolithiasis

Urolithiasis is the most painful and frequent urological disease of the urinary tract. This study is the first in Morocco that aimed to determine the relationship between the urinary stone's composition and the biochemical analysis of blood and daily urine.A total of 154 urinary stones from lithiasis patients was collected between December 2009 and July 2015 at the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez-Morocco. The stones were analysed morphologically and chemically, blood and urine biochemical parameters were established and the relationship between these latter and the stones composition was determined.The stones analysis shows that more than 63% of stones are calcium oxalate, infection stones were more common in patients under 16 years of age. Twenty-two percent of patients had a higher creatinine level and 13% of them had hypercalciuria. However, uric acid stone (UA) patient's group were older than those of whewellite (Wh) group (p = 0.004). The blood creatinine level was significantly high in the UA and weddellite (Wd) groups (p = 0.032), and a significant difference between the two groups, Wh and Wd, for the Calciuria/Creatininuria ratio (p = 0.032). The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed a correlation between 24-hour uricuria, 24-hour urine, 24-hour diuresis, 24-hour creatinine, and natriuresis on the one hand, and with calciuria, 24-hour calciuria and BMI on the other hand.These results show the probable effect of different biochemical parameters of urine and blood in certain stones types formation, and presents a contribution to understand the urolithiasis risk factors in order to limit the recurrence of kidney stones and long-term complication